Everyone wanted to go back to Escape Beach today so that was the plan. We went down late morning. Hot again today but a stiff westerly breeze. The beach is really a large cove facing north and it is sheltered so the water was still very calm. We had lunch down there and a good wallow in the waters. It’s not very busy at the moment. Only 1 gulet anchored up today outside the beach and it was definitely rolling a bit. I was glad we went yesterday.
Came back late afternoon and swam in the pool and then rested.
In the evening we went out to a local institution, The Meyhane, for dinner. The Meyhane has been open for years and it is a very traditional Cypriot restaurant where the meze is the main offering in different forms. A meze is a meal of many small dishes and it is a staple in the eastern mediterranean countries like Turkey, Greece,Cyprus, Lebanon and the Levant. Cyprus takes a particular pride in it and you are served a veritable feast if you visit one of the speciality restaurants. The Meyhane is one of the few restaurants where you will be surrounded by Cypriot or Turkish diners rather than expats. They love it there for the food and atmosphere and it is always very popular with large family groups celebrating, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when there is also traditional music.
We began with a table-covering selection of small plates of dips, salads, cheese, olives, bread, beetroot, white beans. Then the hot small plates started to be delivered: fried Haloumi, stuffed pide breads, little meatballs, liver, a bowl of chicken pasta, a risotto of beans…. i lost count. Then skewers of bbq meats- first chicken, then lamb. A sheftali sausage and finally a lamb chop. These all come out over time…. the little music band comes around to the table and plays….. amazing zither player – his fingers moving like lightning over the strings.
Finally a platter of fruits and a plate of a sort of banana, honey and nut pudding. No doubt there would also have been coffee and brandy but we were too full up by then and tottered away….. It cost about £20 per head and was amazing value. I do recommend a night at the Meyhane in Zetinlik especially a Friday or a Saturday. It’s a very enjoyable atmosphere. Just come hungry……